Tbilisi. The Coalition for Media Advocacy acts against establishing a radio-monopoly in the minibuses, working within the territory of Tbilisi, and releases the statement. ''We consider signing such an agreement by the municipal transport company unacceptable, because it sets actual radio-monopoly on the very broad segment of population and, thus, it is incompatible with democracy and the fundamental principles of human rights law: freedom of choice and the right of access to a variety of information, which have to be adhered and respected by all state agencies or municipal companies'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full... Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On January 25, 2016, the Public Defender's Office approved a new composition of the Special Preventive Group.  ''The Special Preventive Group is composed of specialists of various fields in order to ensure effective implementation of the functions of the National Preventive Mechanism. The group consists of 6 lawyers, 5 doctors, 2 experts in health issues, 2 psychiatrists, 6 psychologists, 5 social workers, 4 experts in discrimination issues (including 2 persons with disabilities) and 2 experts in juvenile justice issues'', is noted in the statement. In full... Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On January 27, 2016, the Tolerance Center of the Public Defender's Office and the International Foundation "Lea" held an event dedicated to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. At the opening of the meeting, representatives of the diplomatic corps, state agencies, international organizations and members of the Councils of Religions and Ethnic Minorities observed a minute of silence to honor the victims of the Holocaust. The participants of the event lit candles on the menorah and paid tribute to the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust, 2 million Romanies and all other victims of the Nazi regime. At the end, Rabbi Avimelekh Rosenblatt read a memorial prayer", is noted in the statement. In full... Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The following NGOs – International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Transparency International – Georgia, - refuse to accept the offer of the Defense Ministry to visit a special electoral precinct few days ahead of the elections. The special electoral precinct has been established to allow military workers to participate in Gamgebeli by-elections scheduled to be held on January 28. ''We believe that visiting the precinct will not solve the problem that can only be remedied through legislative amendments. As you may recall, the NGOs have criticized provisions in the existing Election Code allowing military servicemen to participate in local self-government elections (Gamgebeli/Mayoral and Sakrebulo elections) as well as in parliamentary elections through majoritarian system even if they are not registered in the electoral district concerned'', is noted in the statement. In full... Source: www.isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations, members of the civic platform ''No to phobia'', respond to the ''armenophobic attitude'' and ''violent actions'', demonstrated by Tamaz Mechiauri, the Chairman of the Finance-Budget Committee of the Parliament of Georgia. ''It is noteworthy to mention that in his speeches and statements Tamaz Mechiauri is distinguished with discriminatory expressions, including those of homophobic and armenophobic character; besides, his attitude towards non-governmental sector, when he calls the representatives of civil society as ''NGO Soros staff'', is unacceptable'' - is stated on the web-page of the organization. In Full... Source:tdi.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), within the framework of the ''Strategic Plan Georgia 2020'', publishes an article: ''Analysis of the ongoing pension system reform''. ''Georgia is still within the poorest countries in the list, which means that our inhabitants do not have a problem regarding the wealth redistribution and savings, as far as there is no wealth for redistribution/savings. Therefore, the expectation that the introduction of accumulative pension system will ensure obtaining high social welfare after the retirement (according to the statement of the head of pension reform unit), is not adequate and does not reflect the real picture of current economic/financial situation existing in the country'' - is stated on the web-page or the organization. In Full... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Therefore on January 6th 2016, IDFI has requested the complete information regarding 2015 from the Interior Ministry. The ministry forwarded the request to the State Security Agency, which has immediately responded to IDFI’s request and provided data according to which 341 Georgian citizens were illegally detained for crossing of the Abkhazian Occupational lines and 162 Georgian citizens were illegally detained for crossing the South Ossetian Occupational line in 2015 (Accordingly, after April 2015, in a 9 month period 225 people were detained in Abkhazia and 139 people in South Ossetia). ''According to the information received from the State Security Agency, in the years 2009-2015 the occupational forces have detained a total number of 2481 Georgian citizens for the so-called "illegal border crossing” of which 1 641 were detained by occupational forces in Abkhazia and 840 people were detained in Occupational forces in Tskhinvali Region (so called 'South Ossetia')'', is noted in the statement. In full... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. IDFI presents publication Freedom of Information Guidebook (Second Edition). Second Edition of Freedom of Information Guidebook in comparison with the first guidebook includes in addition the topics of personal data protection and proactive disclosure of public information.  In full... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers' Association on behalf of 10 participants of the action ''no to panorama'' has applied to the European Court of Human Rights. ''GYLA has applied to the European Court of Human Rights based on the Articles - 5 (right to liberty and security), 10 (freedom of expression), 11 (right of assembly) and 18 (limitation on the use of restrictions on rights) of the European Convention'' - is stated on the web-page of the organization. In Full... Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy has a new Executive Director.  ''ISFED Board selected a new Executive Director, formerly ISFED Programs Manager Mikheil Benidze. Mikheil Benidze will replace Nino Lomjaria who served as ISFED’s Executive Director for four years. Under ISFED’s regulations, Executive Director is appointed for the term of four years. The board selected new Executive Director following a selection process that involved interviews. Mikheil Benidze will officially assume his responsibilities on January 18, 2016. Nino Lomjaria will continue to work at ISFED as a legal consultant", is noted in the statement.  In full... Sourece: www.isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations, members of the civic platform ''No to Phobia'', address to the Prime Minister. ''We consider that it is a serious problem when, on the one hand, a high-ranking political official, who speaks on behalf of the State, systematically incites hatred and intolerance due to the opinions, unacceptable to him/her, and on the other hand, the government has no reaction to such expression, which is reflected on the increasing number of the acts of violence during the last period of time'' - is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full... Source: www.tdi.ge

Tbilisi. The ''Association of Young Financiers and Businessmen - AYFB'' evaluates the processes, ongoing at the world oil market. The Association calls on the Georgian fuel importer companies to perform the reflection of world trends on the Georgian market. ''The prices have been dropping at the world market for more than 2 weeks, and this time is absolutely sufficient to make sure that the world trends are reflected on the Georgian market'' - says the Analyst of ''AYFB''. In full... Source: afba.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender condemns all forms of violence, including violence against journalists due to their professional activities, which is particularly alarming.  ''The role of freedom of expression and free media is invaluable in building inclusive, informed societies and democracy, as well as in establishing effective governance. It is necessary to conduct a prompt and effective investigation into the above-mentioned fact and to properly punish offenders in order to prevent recurrence of violence in the future'', is noted in the statement.  In full... Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organizations release the statement regarding negotiations with "Gazprom". ''... Gazprom is a serious tool for the political influence of Russia and one of the most corrupt, non-transparent organizations worldwide. Respectively, we consider the return of Gazprom to the Georgian market in any form and thus the handover of serious mechanisms of influence on Georgian politics to it completely unacceptable, because it will harm the security and vital interests of Georgia'' - is noted in the joint statement. In full... Source: www.cida.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center publishes a letter of Srećko Horvat regarding Croatia. "By July 2013, Croatia will become the 28th member of the European Union. It is strange, but according to the situation today, the EU may possibly gain more with this membership, than Croatia" - is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full... Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The ''Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center'' (EMC) will protect the interests of the three plaintiffs at the Constitutional Court. ''Constitutional claim has been prepared within the framework of a joint project of the "Georgian Harm Reduction Network'' and EMC. The claim challenges those norms of the Georgian law on the ''fight against drug crime'', on the basis of which, the individuals, convicted in drug crime, will automatically be, for a pre-determined period, restricted in certain rights, including permission for driving a vehicle, activities at a public service and educational institutions, etc.'' – is stated on the web-page of the organization. In full... Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The article was writen in the framework of the project "Strategic Plan Georgia 2020 - Strengthening Public Involvement" and was published on the blog "Georgia 2020".  ''In different developed and developing countries, there are several forms of ownership of medical organizations: Nonprofit, For-profit, State-owned, Public-private partnership. Such diversity is mostly due to the particularities of the medical market. However, there are predominantly two forms of ownership in Georgia – for-profit and state-owned'', is noted in the statement.  In full... Source: idfi.ge

The web-page of Civil Society Organizations wishes you happy holidays. At the same time we hereby inform you that csogeorgia.org will resume its work from January 11.

Tbilisi. Civil Society Institute has completed the course of the online learning program on "Election Law”. More than 200 representatives of qualified and unqualified parties have participated in the learning process. 100 successful participants have received a certificate. Within the framework of the program the representatives of parties have improved their knowledge of the election issues through the video lectures, reading material and tests. Online platform allows the representatives of various regions to be involved in the learning process, respectively, the residents of different regions have attended the course of "Election Law” without interrupting their work. Civil Society Institute has established learning program on "Election Law" via financial support of the Legal Entity of Public Law - "Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings". Those who are interested in the election law, have the opportunity to listen in a free listener mode to 13 video lectures, created especially on these issues. Video lectures…

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association releases the statement regarding old Boulevard of Batumi. ''Batumi Boulevard is the cultural heritage, while in accordance with the law of Georgia, changing the view of the cultural heritage in any manner or either type of interference has to be related to the interests of the subject of heritage and should not violate its artistic - aesthetic, historical and cultural value; as well as must not cause changes in its authentic elements and affect its perception'' – is noted in the statement of the organization. In full... Source:gyla.ge